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New parking facility with waste disposal for motorhomes and campervans gets go-ahead at Falls of Shin


By Caroline McMorran

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An overnight parking site with services for campervans and motorhomes is to be established at a Sutherland beauty spot after planning consent was granted.

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust’s application to Highland Council for the scheme at the Falls of Shin has been sanctioned.

The visitor centre at the Falls of Shin.
The visitor centre at the Falls of Shin.

It is one of a number of similar projects in progress across the county in a bid to address problems caused this summer by an influx of visitors, many travelling in campervans and motorhomes.

The high numbers highlighted a lack of infrastructure and services in the county with complaints about wild camping, overflowing bins and toilet waste being emptied into public toilets or in some instances, lay-bys.

A popular attraction, Falls of Shin includes a visitor centre, car park, children’s play area, waterfall walk and access to a Forestry Land Scotland path network.

In a statement to planners, Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust (KOSDT) wrote that it wanted to “find a solution to improve the provision of facilities for tourists and regulate the use of the site for campervans”.

An area of hard-standing beside the existing car park and single-track B864 has been earmarked for the new serviced overnight parking site. The site is already regularly used for wild camping.

A chemical waste point connected to a septic tank unit is to be installed along with a new water supply for ‘wash-down’ and for drinking.

Four electric hook-up points are being installed for vehicles as well as e-bike charging points. There will also be provision for the storage and collection of general and recycled waste.

The project at Falls of Shin is being proposed in parallel with two other sites in the area at South Bonar and Rosehall, although separate applications are being submitted for those. Projects are also ongoing at Golspie and Brora.


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